Kimberly Savino testifies during the dog forfeiture hearing Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at the Kent County courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich. The hearing is to determine if Savino should have the right to keep dogs taken from her home by Kent County Animal Control. (Chris Clark | MLive.com)Chris Clark | MLive

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The 37 canines taken from the Northeast Side home of a woman charged with animal cruelty will now be going to homes where it is hoped the dogs' lives will be happy ones.

Kimberly Savino, who housed the dogs in cages allegedly covered with fecal matter and urine, did not manage to pay the $106,430 it would have taken for her to maintain ownership of the dogs as her criminal case makes its way through the court system.

The court gave her until 4:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, to pay. By 5 p.m. Kent County Animal Shelter personnel were bringing some of the dogs outside to frolic in front of assembled media.

“This is the happiest day ever,” said county head veterinarian Laurie Wright regarding the fact that these dogs will be moved from their former unsuitable situations and will soon be part of a family.

“It is very important for potential adopters to understand that these particular dogs will need ongoing medical care at the adopter’s expense for concerns such as dental care and eye issues,” said Lisa LaPlante, spokesperson for the Kent County Health Department.

During court testimony earlier this week, county personnel described the conditions the dogs were in when they were taken. The home reeked of an overwhelming odor of feces and the dogs were kept in travel cages, some too small to allow the dogs to stand up, according to animal control investigators.

Almost all the dogs suffer from severe tooth decay, malnutrition and skin conditions, according to the county’s veterinarian.

“Some of the dogs have severe behavioral and medical issues that require treatment,” said Kent County Animal Shelter Supervisor Carly Luttmann. “We are working with partner agencies to help transfer these dogs to places that can best meet their needs. As dogs are treated and deemed ready for adoption, they will be moved from KCAS on-hold status to adoption kennels.”

Since their rescue, Wright said all the dogs have gained weight and have begun to show the behavior associated with happy and well-adjusted dogs.

That includes a near-toothless Papillon, a three-legged Dalmatian named “Tripawd” and a skinny Saint Bernard who has gained 15 pounds since coming to the shelter.

However, some of the dogs will be available for adoption to qualified applicants as soon as Aug. 22. That includes five 11-week-old puppies. Some of the dogs appear to be as old as 8 or 9.

The animals came into the possession of the Kent County Animal Shelter after a hearing in Kent County Circuit Court, where Judge James Robert Redford decided that the dogs should be kept out of the home.

Redford described the condition of the dogs’ living arrangements as “absolutely filthy and disgusting in nature.”

“Clearly, these animals have been neglected,” said Redford after listening to evidence from the prosecution regarding the conditions in which the dogs were discovered.

Savino, 33, testified during the two-day hearing where through her attorney, Joseph Brugnoli, she sought to deflect blame for the situation by blaming her housemate’s husband for failing to care for the dogs when she was on a four-day vacation more than 20 days before the dogs were seized.

Redford’s decision on the fee was designed to allow Savino to maintain ownership of the dogs as the criminal case makes its way through the criminal court system. The $106,430 figure was the judge’s determination of the county’s cost to maintain the animals through Nov. 30.

The judge denied her request to be able to pay on some of the dogs and not others.

“We’re not going to pick and choose survivors,” Redford said.

Brugnoli said his client was hoping to raise the funds, but she had not paid by the deadline. Brugnoli said it was unclear whether there is any avenue available to appeal Redford’s decision or if that would be the best course of action for his client.
Brugnoli called the case “unprecedented.”

Savino is charged with cruelty to animals with a potential maximum of two years in prison if she is convicted. She is free on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.

She faces a probable cause hearing Aug. 28 in Grand Rapids District Court.

Meanwhile, dog adoption fees are $62 and spay and neuter and all age-appropriate vaccinations are included in the adoption price.

People who adopt the pets are counseled on making an appointment at a veterinarian of their choosing within three weeks after adoption for a check-up and vaccine boosters.